Release device for land mines



1968 P. MADLENER ETAL 3,397,635

RELEASE DEVICE FOR LAND MINES Filed March 18, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 0,1968 P. MADLENER ETAL 3,397,635

RELEASE DEVICE FOR LAND MINES Filed March 18, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2United States Patent 3,397,635 RELEASE DEVICE FOR LAND MINES PaulMadlener, Karlsruhe-Durlach, and Otto Pecksen,

Herrenalb, near Karlsruhe, Germany, assignors to Industrie-WerkeKarlsruhe Aktiengesellschaft, Baden, Germany, a corporation of GermanyFiled Mar. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 538,466 Claims priority, applicationGermany, Mm. 27, 1965,

Claims. ci. z s

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A release device for land mines in which twoelastic and liquid-filled hoses extend outwardly from diametricallyopposed points of a housing containing a spring actuated firing pin andtwo independent lever systems, both of which normally hold the firingpin in an inoperative position. Only when both lever systems areoperated simultaneously by the pressure developed in both saidliquidfilled hoses when a vehicle with both its tracks passes over therelease device the firing pin is released.

A rotatably mounted safety member is attached to the housing above thetwo-lever systems and in one position prevents an operation of the leversystems which would release the firing pin and in another positionpermits an operation of said lever systems to release the firing pin.

The invention relates to a release device, particularly for land mines,for instance, antitank mines, in which preferably V-shaped disposedelastic and waterproof release hoses filled with a medium and enteringthe detonator of the mine "are simultaneously put under a load forcausing a change in the form of the elastic hoses which in turn actuatesa system of levers by means of elastic bellows which causes an ignitionof the mine.

It is an object of the invention to provide a release device whichcauses a detonation of the mine when the vehicle to be destroyed isdirectly over the mine and not on one side of the same, so that nolonger an explosion of a mine without the desired result will takeplace. In accordance with the invention, the release device is providedwith a housing containing a firing pin and two outwardly extendingflexible hoses which are filled with a cold resisting fluid and closedat both ends, at one end, however, by a flexible diaphragm engagingpressure pins which in turn engage two double-armed levers pivotallymounted between their ends. These levers are urged by a common pressurespring with their shorter arms against locking balls which normallyretain a spring-actuated firing pin in a tensioned position. Only whenboth flexible hoses are simultaneously subjected to a load, such as thetwo endless traction chains of an armored tank or other vehicle, bothlocking balls are simultaneously released by the two levers actuated bythe fluid pressure actuated diaphragms and the bolts connectedtherewith. These bolts move the levers against their common pressurespring, so that the levers release the locking balls, so that the firingpin is propelled against a fuse thereby efiecting a detonation of themine connected with the fuse.

The invention provides that a detonation of a mine, such as an antitankmine, takes place only in the event that two release-causing flexiblehoses are subjected at the same time to a pressure which should be greatenough to cause an increase of the pressure of the fluid in the hoses.If only one hose is subjected to such a pressure, a detonation of themine connected with the release device of the invention does not takeplace. The vehicle or tank must be positioned directly over the mine tocause an explosion of the latter. If the vehicle is moving only over oneflexible hose, namely laterally to one side of the mine, the latter doesnot explode. Ordinary walking persons, animals or flying rocks will notcause the mines to explode. In fact, a mine field, whose mines areequipped with release devices of the invention, may without danger beentered and traversed by individual p rsons or even by troops marchingin a line.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference tothe accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example oneembodiment:

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a sectional view of the release device including thedetonator;

FIG. 2 illustrates a top elevation view of the same;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along the line IIIIII of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a view of the release device in a reduced scale.

Referring to the drawings, the detonator housing 1 has screwed into itslower portion a support sleeve 2 with a sealing ring 3. The bore 4 ofthe sleeve 2 contains a firing pin 6 biased by a helical spring 5 andresting upon two locking balls 7. These balls 7 are engaged by the lowerends of two vertically arranged double-armed levers 8 which project intorecesses 9 of the support sleeve 2, and in the latter are pivotallysupported between their enrs by horizontally disposed pivot pins 10.

The upper longer ends of the levers 8 have transversely extendingprojections for receiving the ends of a horizontally disposed helicalpressure spring 11 which tends to move the upper ends of the levers 8apart, so that the lower ends of the levers 8 are urged against theballs 7 and retain the same in their locked position. A tubular ignitioncap 13 containing a fuse 14 is screwed into the lower end of the supportsleeve 2 with a sealing ring 12 arranged between these parts. The lowerend of the cap 13 has an exterior thread 15 for connection with a mine.

The detonator housing 1 is provided with two oppositely disposedconnecting nipples 16 on which flexible pressure hoses 17 are attachedby means of screw collar rings 18.

The outer end of the two flexible pressure hoses 17 are closed andsealed in any suitable manner. The inner end of each hose facing thehousing 1 is provided with an insert 19 into which is sealingly insertedby means of a pressure member 20 a diaphragm 21. These diaphragms 21carry in their center a pressure bolt 22 which is guided in a bore ofthe pressure member 20. The hoses 17 are additionally secured to tubularextensions 19a f the inserts 19 by conventional hose clamps 17a.

In the head or upper portion of the detonator housing 1 is rotatablymounted a safety button 23 which by a sealing ring 24 is sealed againstthe housing 1 and by means of a spring ring 25 is held in place. Theinner end of the button 23 is rovided with a transverse slot 25 which issomewhat wider than each one of the levers 8. Perpendicularly to thistransverse slot 26, the outer circumference of the button 23 is providedwith two shallow grooves 27 which also are wider than the levers 8.

The upper face of the safety button 23 is provided with a transversegroove 28 having a width substantially of that of a coin.

The operation of this device is as follows: When a vehicle, such as atank, having endless traction belts or traction wheels moves over thedevice in such a manner that both flexible hoses 17 are depressedsimultaneously by the same load which is suflicient to depress thehoses, then the fluid which is in these hoses causes a flexing of thediaphragms 21 and the latter move the bolts 21 against the levers 8which are then moved against the pressure spring 11 and are pivotedabout the pivot pins 10. This has the result that the lower ends of thelevers 8 release the locking balls 7 which are displaced laterally andrelease the firing pin 6 which by means of the tensioned spring ispropelled against the fuse 14 and initiates the detonation of the mine.In the event, however, that only one of the two flexible hoses issubjected to the load or pressure of a vehicle, which is the case whenthe mine lies adjacent to one side of the vehicle, then only onediaphragm 21 and bolt 22 and only one lever 8 is actuated. Accordingonly one of the two locking balls 7 is released, while the other oneretains the firing pin 6 in locked position and no release of the firingpin 6 takes place. If the pressure upon one of the flexible hoses 17abates the respective diaphragm 21 returns to its initial position, thepreviously actuated lever 8 under the action of the Spring 11 alsoreturns to its initial position in which the locking ball 7 is againheld in its firing pin locking position.

A safety locking of the device against accidental release isaccomplished by rotatably adjusting the safety button 23 with a coinwhich with its edge is inserted into the transverse slot 28. The button23 is rotated until the slot 26 is disposed transversely to the levers8. Thereupon the two lower ends of a safety hoop 29 may be inserted intothe marginal recesses 30 of the button 23. If now the flexible hoses 17are subjected accidentally to a load, the upper ends of the levers 8which, as shown in FIG. 1, abut the outer circumference of the button 23and are unable to pivot about their pivot pins 10. In fact, the upperends of the levers 8 which enter into the shallow gooves 27 in thebutton 23, so that the latter cannot be rotated, if an attempt is madeunder these conditions.

If, however, the button 23 is in its Fire Position the transverse groove26 is in alinement with the upper end of the levers 8. When now bothhoses are subjeted to a sufficient load, the levers 8 can center thegroove 26 and the mine is detonated.

For practice purposes with blank mines, the release device of theinvention may be used again and again, namely any desired number oftimes. A released or fired device may be tensioned again by pressing theupper ends of both levers 8 together, after previously having removedthe flexible hoses 17 and the ignition cap 13, and then moving thefiring pin 6 upwardly, whereupon the two levers 8 are released, so thatthey move the balls 7 toward the firing pin 6 thereby holding the latteragain in a locked position.

What we claim is:

1. A release device, particularly for the ignition of land mines,including a housing, two flexible waterproof hoses filled with a coldresisting fluid medium extending from opposite sides of said housingoutwardly and closed at both of their ends, means operable by the closedinner ends of said hoses to cause the release of a springactuated firingpin when both hoses are simultaneously deformed by a pressure actingupon the same, said means including a diaphragm at each inner end ofsaid hoses, two independent lever systems within said housing one foreach of said diaphragms and adapted to be operated by the latter, twolocking members arranged between said firing pin and said two leversystems, a common pressure spring for normally holding said leversystems in a position in which said firing pin is locked by said twolocking members in an inoperative position, said firing pin beingreleased when said two diaphragms are sufiiciently flexed at the sametime to operate said two lever systems and move the same against theaction of said common pressure spring.

2. A release device according to claim 1, in which each one of saidlever systems comprises a double-armed lever pivotally mounted betweenits ends to form a long arm and a short arm, said long arm being engagedby one end of said common pressure spring, while said short arm engagesa ball-shaped locking member engaging said firin 3. A release deviceaccording to claim 1, including a rotatably mounted safety memberattached to said housing above said two-lever systems therein, saidsafety member having a transverse slot which in one position permits anoperation of said lever systems so as to cause a release of said firingpin and in another position of said safety member, the same prevents anoperation of said lever systems and thereby retains said firing pin inits locked position.

4. A release device according to claim 1, including a tubular insert ineach inner end of said hoses, mean for removably attaching said insertsin a horizontal position to diametrically opposed portions of saidhousing, means for mounting said diaphragms in said inserts, and acentrally arranged pressure member on said diaphragms for operativelyengaging said lever systems.

5. A release device, particularly for the ignition of land mines,including a housing, two flexible waterproof hoses filled with a coldresisting fluid medium extending from opposite sides of said housingoutwardly and closed at both of their ends, means operable by the closedinner ends of said hoses to cause the release of a springactuated firingpin when both hoses are simultaneously deformed by a pressure actingupon the same, said means including a diaphragm at each inner end ofsaid hoses, two lever systems within said housing adapted to be operatedby both said diaphragms, said firing pin being arranged between said twolever systems, a common pressure spring for normally holding said leversystems in a position in which said firing pin is locked in aninoperative position, said firing pin being released when said twodiaphragms are sufficiently flexed at the same time to operate saidtwo-lever systems and move the same against the action of said commonpressure spring, each one of said lever systems comprises a double-armedlever pivotally mounted between its ends to form two arms, one of saidarms being engaged by one end of said common pressure spring, while theother arm engages a ball engaging said firing pin.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,790,387 4/1957 Billon 102-83,282,212 11/1966 Romano 102-8 FOREIGN PATENTS 515,512 11/1952 Belgium.

SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Primary Examiner,

